Holder for and package of dental articles



H, 1949. E. M. LENNOX HOLDER FOR AND PACKAGE OF DENTAL ARTICLES Filed NOV. 19, 1947 I I w 3, INVENTOR EVA ML/EIyNOX BY lm 7'TORNEY Patented Oct. 11, 1949 HOLDER FOR AND PACKAGE OF DENTAL ARTICLES Eva M. Lennox, Hartford, Conn.

Application November 19, 1947, Serial No. 786,969

11 Claims.

The invention relates to a holder for dental articles, such as a toothbrush, a tube of tooth paste and a container for dental floss. The invention further relates to a package comprising a holder and the dental articles carried thereby.

The general object of the invention is to provide a holder or a package, such as set forth, which is simple and compact and adapted particularly for use during traveling. In accordance with the invention a tube-like member of flexible material is provided which serves as a holder for a toothbrush and a tube of tooth paste, and preferably for a container for dental floss. The said articles are held by the said tube-like member at opposite sides thereof, and a hood for enclosing the bristled portion of the brush is preferably provided at one end of the said tube-like member. An enclosing casing and cap are preferably also provided.

Further and more specific objects of. the invention will be apparent from the drawing and from the following specification and claims.

In the drawing I have shown in detail a preferred embodiment of the invention, but it will be understood that various changes may be made from the construction shown, and that the drawing is not to be construed as defining or limiting the scope of the invention, the claims forming a part of this specification being relied upon for that purpose.

Of the drawing,

Fig. 1 is a rear view of the inner unit of a package embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a front view of the inner unit of the package.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view taken along the line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the outer casing.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the cap for closing the open end of the casing.

Fig. 6 is a rear view of the complete package embodying the invention.

Referring particularly to Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawing, I0 is a tube-like member formed of flexible material, which may be a suitable Waterproof sheet plastic. The material of which the member I 0 is formed is referred to as flexible, but it nevertheless has a certain degree of stiffness which enables it to ordinarily retain a predetermined shape while permitting flexure when essential. The thickness of the material is considerably exaggerated in Fig. 3.

Preferably and as shown, the member ID is formed by bending a sheet of material into tubular form with the overlapping portions suitably secured to each other, as by cementing or stitching. As shown, the edge portions of the material overlap to a substantial extent, and are held by transversely spaced longitudinal stitching at [2, l2. The tube I0 is open at one end, but the opposite end is preferably closed. As shown, the said opposite end is flattened and is held by transverse stitching l4. It will be observed that the two lines of stitching l2, 12 are at the same side of the member l0 and are sym' metrically disposed with respect to the longitudinal center of the said side.

The member l0 has at one side a plurality of longitudinally spaced transverse slots l6, N5, the end slots of the series preferably being wider than the others. The slots l6, ['6 are preferably at the side having the stitching I2, l2, which will be called the rear side, and they are preferably formed only in the outer of the two overlapping portions held by the said stitching. The handle of a toothbrush B may be longitudinally interlaced through the several slots l6, l6 as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the material of the member 10 being sufficiently flexible to permit such interlacing. The bristled portion of the brush remains beyond the main body of the tube-like member.

For enclosing the bristled portion of the brush, there is provided an open-ended tubular hood l8 formed of flexible material similar to that of the member ID. The hood is formed by bending a sheet of material to form overlapping portions, which are suitably secured to each other, as by cementing or stitching. They are shown as connected by stitching l9. Preferably the member H) has an integral longitudinal extension 20 at its rear side, and the hood I8 is secured to this extension, as for instance by means of stitching 22. It will be seen that when the brush B is in place, the bristled portion thereof is entirely within the hood I8.

The member Ill has at its front side a plurality of longitudinally spaced transverse slots 24, 24, which are diametrically opposite the slots I6, IS. A tube T of tooth paste may be longitudinally interlaced through the several slots 24, 24, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the material of the member 10 being sufficiently flexible to permit such interlacing. The foldable end of the tube T is within the member I 0 adjacent the closed end thereof, and the cap end of the tube is in engagement with the front side of the hood l8. Inasmuch as the front of the hood is not attached to the holder [8, the said hood may be flexed inward as shown to provide space for the upper or cap end of the tube. It will be observed that the longitudinally spaced slots l5, l6 and the longitudinally spaced slots 24, 24 are within the same portions of the length of the tube-like member! I so that the toothbrush handle and the tube of tooth paste are directly opposite each other when interlaced through the slots. Preferably the member i is of such size that portions of the opposite sides thereof are forced into engagement or approximate engagement with each other as shown in Fig. 3 when a toothbrush handle and a tube of tooth paste are interlaced through the slots.

Preferably the member ill has in its front side an additional transverse slot 26, this being adapted for the reception of a container 0 for dental floss. The main portion of the container is within the member l0 adjacent the closed end thereof.

A casing 28 is provided, which is preferably formed of flexible waterproof material; this casing being adapted to enclose or partly enclose the holder and articles shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. The casing is formed by bending a sheet of material into tubular form with the overlapping portions secured to each other by cementing or stitching. As shown, they are secured by longitudinal stitching 39. The casing as is open at one end, but it is closed at the opposite end. As shown, the said opposite end is flattened and is held by transverse stitching 32. The flattened end of the casing 28 is adapted to receive the flattened end of the member iii.

A cap 34 is provided which may be similar to the casing 28, but preferably shorter. The diameter of the cap is such that it can telescopically engage the casing 28 to complete the enclosure of the holder and articles shown in Figs. 1., 2 and 3. As shown, the diameter of the cap is slightly smaller than that of the casing so that the former can flt within the latter.

Fig. 6 shows the complete package with the casing 28 and the cap 36 in place to enclose the holder and the articles shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3.

It will be seen that the complete package shown in Fig. 6 is compact and adapted for convenient packing for traveling. The casing 28 and the cap 35 exclude moisture and dirt. When the casing and cap have been removed, the toothbrush and the tube of tooth paste and the container for dental cream are conveniently accessible for use. The toothbrush can be readily withdrawn, and the tube of tooth paste can be withdrawn if desired. It may frequently be more convenient to leave the said tube in the position shown. The container for dental floss need not ordinarily be withdrawn, as the dental floss can be pulled therefrom while it is in the position shown.

The cap 3 4 is well adapted to serve as a cup for containing water or a mouth wash for rinsing purposes.

'What I claim is:

1. In a holder for dental articles, a tube-like member of flexible material having a plurality of transverse slots longitudinally spaced along one side within a portion of the length of the member and adapted for the longitudinal interlacing therethrough of the handle of a toothbrush and having a plurality of transverse slots longitudinally spaced along the diametrically opposite side within the same portion of the length of the member and adapted for the longitudinal interlacing therethrough of a tube of tooth paste, the relationship of the several slots being such that the toothbrush handle and the tube of tooth paste are directly opposite each other when interlaced through the slots.

2. A holder as set forth in claim 1, wherein the tube-like member is of such size that portions of the opposite sides thereof are forced into approximate engagement with each other when a toothbrush handle and a tube of tooth paste are interlaced through the slots.

3. A holder as set forth in claim 1, wherein the tube-like member is open at only one end and is closed at the opposite end.

4. In a holder for dental articles, a tube-like member of flexible material open at one end and closed at the opposite end, the said tube-like member having a plurality of transverse slots longitudinally spaced along one side and adapted for the longitudinal interlacing therethrough of the handle of a toothbrush and having a plurality of transverse slots longitudinally spaced along thre diametrically opposite side and adapted for the longitudinal interlacing therethrough of a tube of tooth paste and the said tube-like member having an additional slot in the second said side thereof and adjacent the closed. end thereof for receiving a container for dental floss.

5. A holder as set forth in claim 1, wherein the tube-like member has overlapping portions at one side and wherein the first said transverse slots are in the outer of the said overlapping portions, the inner of the said portions being imperforate.

6. In a holder for dental articles, the combination of a tube-like member of flexible material closed at one end and open at the opposite end, the said member having a plurality of transverse slots longitudinally spaced along one side and adapted for the longitudinal interlacing therethrough of the handle of a toothbrush and the said member also having a plurality of transverse slots longitudinally spaced along the opposite side and adapted for the longitudinal interlacing therethrough of a tube of tooth paste, and an open-ended tubular hood of flexible ma terial secured to the tube-like member adjacent the open end: thereof and adapted for enclosing the bristled portion of a toothbrush.

' 7. A holder as set forth in claim 6, wherein the hood is secured to the tube-like member at the side havingthe first said transverse slots and is free from direct attachment therewith at the opposite side so that the said hood may be flexed inward to provide space for a tube of tooth paste.

8. A holder as set forth in claim 6, wherein the tube-like member has a longitudinal extension at the side having the first said slots, and wherein the said hood is attached to the tubelike member by means of the said longitudinal extension.

9. A. holder as set forth in claim 6, wherein the tube-like member has an additional slot in the second said side thereof and adjacent the closed end thereof for receiving a container for dental floss.

1.0. A dental article package comprising in combination, a tube-like member of flexible ma terial. closed at one end and open at the opposite end, the said member having a plurality of transverse slots longitudonally spaced along one side and also having a plurality of transverse slots longitudinally spaced along the opposite side, an open-ended tubular hood of flexible material secured to the tube-like member adjacent the open end thereof and at the side thereof having the first said transverse slots, the opposite side of the hood being free from direct attachment with the tube-like member, a toothbrush positioned with the bristled portion within the said hood and with its handle longitudinally interlaced through the first said transverse slots in the tube-like member, and a tube of tooth paste longitudinally interlaced through the transverse slots in the said opposite side of the tube-like member with its foldable end within the said member adjacent the closed end thereof, the cap end of the said tooth paste tube being in engagement with the adjacent portion of the hood.

11. A dental article package as set forth in claim 10, wherein the tube-like member has an additional transverse slot in the said opposite side thereof and adjacent the closed end thereof, and wherein a container for dental floss extends through the last said slot with its major portion within the said tube-like member adjacent the closed end thereof.

EVA M. LENNOX.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

